Read & Study the Bible Online - Bible Portal
Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 5:24-31

Deborah here concludes this triumphant song, I. With the praises of Jael, her sister-heroine, whose valiant act had completed and crowned the victory. She had mentioned her before (Jdg. 5:6) as one that would have served her country if it had been in her power; now she applauds her as one that did serve it admirably well when it was in her power. Her poetry is finest and most florid here in the latter end of the song. How honourably does she speak of Jael (Jdg. 5:24), who preferred her peace... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 5:25

He asked water, and she gave him milk ,.... That is, Sisera asked it of her, as the Targum expresses it, when he turned into her tent: she brought him fresh butter in a lordly dish ; which signifies either the same, the milk with cream on it, for that is meant by butter; or having first taken off the cream, she gave him milk to drink, and then brought the cream in a dish for him to eat, and thereby the more incline him to sleep; and this she brought in a dish fit for any lord or nobleman... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 5:25

She brought forth butter - As the word חמאה chemah , here translated butter, signifies disturbed, agitated, etc., it is probable that buttermilk is intended. The Arabs form their buttermilk by agitating the milk in a leathery bag, and the buttermilk is highly esteemed because of its refreshing and cooling quality; but there is no reason why we may not suppose that Jael gave him cream: Sisera was not only thirsty, but was also exhausted with fatigue; and nothing could be better... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 5:25

Butter - Rather curdled milk, probably a fermented and intoxicating drink. All these marks of respect and friendship would lull Sisera into security. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 5:25

Judges 5:25. He asked water, &c. The original here is very poetical and elegant, and not badly imitated in our translation of it, if it were placed in hemistics thus: He asked water, and she gave milk; She brought forth butter in a lordly dish. The last clause, however, perhaps had better be rendered, cream in a princely bowl; that is, she brought forth the choicest of her milk in the best dish or bowl she had; not indeed such a one as the luxury of after ages introduced, but such as... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Judges 5:1-31

Deliverance under Deborah (4:1-5:31)Hazor, chief city of the north, had been conquered and burnt by Joshua (Joshua 11:10-13). However, not all the people had been destroyed. Having rebuilt Hazor, they now took revenge on the northern tribes, especially Zebulun and Naphtali, and ruled them cruelly for twenty years (4:1-3). (To understand fully how God saved Israel at this time, we must read the historical outline in Chapter 4 together with the song of victory in Chapter 5.)Israel’s deliverer on... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Judges 5:1-31

2. Deborah’s song of victory ch. 5One writer called this song "the finest masterpiece of Hebrew poetry" that "deserves a place among the best songs of victory ever written." [Note: Robert H. Pfeiffer, Introduction to the Old Testament, p. 326.] It is the equivalent of a victory celebration when the troops come home (cf. Exodus 15; Psalms 68)."Observe that each of the three major sections centers around a basic contrast: in Judges 5:2-11 c, the explosive God and humiliated people; in Judges 5:11... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Judges 5:23-27

God’s curse and blessing 5:23-27Meroz (Judges 5:23) may refer to Merom, an Israelite village in Naphtali, west of Hazor, the Canaanite stronghold. Evidently, out of fear of reprisals, the Israelites who lived there did not join their brethren in fighting their foe. In contrast, Jael feared nothing, but faced with the opportunity to kill Sisera did so boldly. This made her "most blessed of women," the embodiment of God’s will for justice and righteousness (cf. Luke 1:42; Luke 1:51-53). "Curds"... read more

Group of Brands